Investigating the impact of the Iraqi film industry on attracting foreign tourists

The aim of this study is to examine the role of Iraq's film industry in attracting international tourists to Erbil Citadel—one of the most ancient heritage sites, dating back to 6000 B.C.—and to analyze its impact on travel motivation and destination image. This research employed a mixed-methods approach: quantitative data were collected through questionnaires from 100 international tourists, and qualitative data were gathered via semi-structured interviews with 15 experts in the film and tourism industries. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS and PLS-SEM, and qualitative data were analyzed through thematic analysis. The results show that films have a significant direct and indirect role in enhancing Iraq's positive image, introducing cultural and historical attractions, and increasing tourists' travel motivation. The greatest direct effect was reported for the variable “Film Influence” on travel motivation (path coefficient β = 0.72). Qualitative findings also emphasized that films help promote Erbil Citadel, stimulate visitation, and strengthen Iraq's tourism brand. Based on these results, it is recommended that policymakers and tourism managers support the production of films related to cultural heritage, develop tourism infrastructure, and design film-related marketing campaigns to use the film industry as a strategic tool for tourism development.